Events with a large number of participants, such as a race, create a challenge for tracking official start times. For example, a marathon race with hundreds or thousands of runners necessarily creates a crowd that may not be feasibly observed on an individual basis. Conventionally, each runner wears a bib containing a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that responds to an interrogation signal by transmitting a unique RFID code. One or more checkpoints along the route may use an RFID reader to identify each runner passing the checkpoint and to record a corresponding time value. Event information such as elapsed time, lap time, speed, etc., may be calculated and maintained for each runner. The runners turn in their bib at the end of the event to validate their having run the race.
Typically, the runners receive feedback visually as to their race time during the race because all of the runners are at the same venue. For example, a local race time is made visible to runners at the checkpoints. However, that local race time displayed in this way is a generic elapsed time for the entire race, which may not be in perfect synch with an official race time kept remotely and is not specific to any particular runner. Individual runners cross the starting line at different times, meaning each participant's elapsed time is different from that local race time being displayed. While individual runners may wear a sports or fitness watch to monitor an unofficial race or lap time it is often inaccurate or unreliable. Also, spectators are often further limited in the type and accuracy of information they can obtain regarding participants.